University of Wisconsin–Madison

Category: Research

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Artificial Intelligence and Childhood Education: A Critical Systematic Review

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Journal of Research in Childhood Education (2025) Authors: Ran Liu and Carla Glave Abstract: This critical systematic review explores narratives surrounding justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) within the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) in childhood and general education. Analyzing 87 peer-reviewed articles from the past decade, this study highlights an increasing academic and societal …

Confronting Stereotypes: Intersectional Approaches to Sexuality Education for Girls of Color

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Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2025) Authors: Morgan C. Jerald and Elizabete Romanovska Abstract: Girls of color experience disproportionately high rates of sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancy, and sexual violence compared to their White peers. Despite these disparities, current sexuality education programs— designed from White, Christian, middle-class, and heterosexual perspectives— largely fail …

Toward Teacher-Centered AI Design: Exploring the Role of Pedagogical Values and Contextual Factors in K-12 Teachers’ Perceptions of Responsible AI

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Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (2025, Conference Paper)* Authors: Yaxuan Yin, Shamya Karumbaiah, Ju Lim, Shona Acquaye, Sara Schwartz *Won Best Paper Award at the International Society of the Learning Sciences Conference Abstract: Recent advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) offer transformative opportunities for education, yet the alignment between Responsible AI principles and K-12 educators’ pedagogical values remains …

AIBAT: AI Behavior Analysis Tool for Teacher-Driven Contextual Evaluation of Language Models in Education

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Artificial Intelligence in Education (2025, Conference Paper)* Authors: Shamya Karumbaiah, Yaxuan Yin, Aayush Bharadwaj *Won Best Paper Award at the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education Abstract: With the increasing reliance of AIED on opaque, black-box scaffolds such as large language models to support student learning, there is a growing concern about their limitations …

Study Finds that Wage Gaps are More Likely When College Degrees and Jobs Don’t Align

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Gender and racial inequalities continue to shape the opportunities college graduates have when they enter the workforce. A new study by Institute for Diversity Science (IDS) Affiliate Ran Liu and Graduate Fellow Thao Phuong Pham finds that horizontal mismatch, or working in a job outside one’s field of study, is an important driver of wage …

Classroom Experiences Help Students Flourish: How In and Out of Classroom Experiences Relate to Changes in Undergraduate’s Motivational Beliefs Across Introductory Biology Courses

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Contemporary Educational Psychology (2025) Authors: Christine R. Starr, Lisa Hunter, and Anna P. Veenendall Abstract: Understanding what experiences relate to changes in patterns of motivational beliefs across a gateway STEM course can help educators promote growth in their students. In a diverse sample of students taking gateway introductory biology courses (64% women, 38% Asian, 30% …

How Awareness of Stereotypes Shapes Black Americans’ Experiences in Nature  

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Wisconsin’s many parks and natural areas offer opportunities for relaxation, recreation, and renewal—but not everyone experiences the outdoors in the same way. New research by Michelle Marji and Dr. Paula Niedenthal explores why Black Americans often report fewer benefits, greater barriers, and, at times, less belonging in outdoor spaces, even as nature engagement is known …

Alzheimer Disease Blood Biomarker Concentrations Across Race and Ethnicity Groups in Middle-Aged Adults

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Neurology (2025) Authors: Adam M. Brickman, Chandra Muller, John Robert Warren,  Eric Grodsky,  Soobin Kim, Michael J. Culbertson, Bharat Thyagarajan, Jennifer J. Manly Abstract:  IMPORTANCE The incidence and prevalence of clinical Alzheimer disease (AD) are higher among Black and Latinx older adults than among White older adults. Past studies that compared plasma AD biomarker concentrations …

Love Him for the Enemies He Has Made: Signaling by Inflammatory Pro-Gun Rhetoric

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Political Psychology (2025) Authors: Sosuke Okada, Nicholas Buttrick Abstract: American politics is rife with messages designed to anger one’s political enemies. In this paper, we propose and test a model suggesting that such inflammatory messages are effective because they signal that the messenger is unwilling to compromise with the groups they have offended. Taking the example …

Mental Health Outcomes Associated with Applied Behavior Analysis in a US National Sample of Privately Insured Autistic Youth

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Autism (2025) Authors: Nahime Aguirre Mtanous, Jamie Koenig, Melica Nikahd, Sarah Effertz, Sal Silinonte, J. Madison Hyer, Brittany Hand, Lauren Bishop Abstract: Autistic youth often receive applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy, but some autistic adults who had ABA as youth say it harmed their mental health as adults. We looked at the relationship between ABA …